Darwin Nunez vowed to write himself in Liverpool history on Tuesday after securing a move from Benfica for a fee that could raise to a club record 100 million euros (£85 million, $105 million).
The Champions League finalists have spent an initial 75 million euros on the 22-year-old, with an additional 25 million performance-related add-ons, according to data released by Benfica.
This could take him ahead of the £75 million Liverpool paid for Virgil van Dijk in January 2018 and make him the fifth costliest transfer in Premier League history.
Uruguay scored 34 goals in 41 matches last season, including twice against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals.
“I am really happy and pleased to be here in Liverpool. It is a huge club,” Nunez told the Liverpool website.
“When I reached the training ground, I was really surprised to see the set-up and structure and all the trophies.
“Then you can imagine you winning more trophies and then later when you come back here again and see the trophies on display, you can say, ‘Look, I was a part of that, I was a part of that. Time was winning trophies’.
“That’s why I came here to Liverpool – to win trophies and titles.”
His arrival continues Jurgen Klopp’s overhaul of Liverpool’s attacking options.
Luis Diaz made a big impact in the second half of last season following a January move from Porto, while Diogo Jota has scored 34 goals in the past two seasons.
Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino, who have driven the club back to winning major honors under Klopp, are out of contract in 2023.
Mane has expressed his intention to leave the Reds during the summer transfer window.
Liverpool have reportedly rejected two bids from Bayern Munich after they charge over £40million for the Senegal forward.
Egyptian star Salah has expressed his intention to stay in the next season without compromising on the future as talks on an extension have stalled.
Firmino is keen to stay ahead of his current deal, but the Brazilian dropped the pecking order at Anfield last season due to a lack of form and fitness.
Liverpool missed out on an unprecedented quadruple of trophies last season.
Klopp’s men lifted the League Cup and FA Cup, but lost the Premier League title to Manchester City by one point and lost 1–0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
City have already signaled their intention to maintain their Premier League dominance under Pep Guardiola by beating Europe’s top clubs under the signing of prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool hope Nunez can match Haaland’s influence as they aim to take the title from City next season.
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